Rideit's 180 SPS Tank

rideit6578 · Sep 17, 2017

A couple of friends and members here know that my 75 gallon sps tank is coming down. It has been a roller coaster of fun and love and of course frustration over the past few years as my first real reef tank, but it has come time to move on to bigger and hopefully better things. Thanks to who all who have helped, come by over the years, complimented and enjoyed the tank with me! Here are a few of my favorite pictures from my tank before it comes down in the near future.

rideit6578 · Sep 17, 2017

On to the new stuff. Here's the equipment list as of now.

Tank: Standard 180 no built in overflows
Lights: ati 8bulb 5 foot fixture
Skimmer: Reef Octopus 250sss
Return pump: Varios 8
Flow: (4x) Mp 40qdwes
Sump: Still undecided

The main reason for the upgrade is that I bought a house! With the help and inspiration from some great tanks I had the idea to frame out a room for it, as I wouldn't be able to plumb to the basement. The spot I chose was an old closet in a room that I was mostly gutting already so I figured it wouldn't be too hard to blow out the closet that was in the room and make it an in wall fish tank room.

This is the room and the closet where the tank room is going to be.

rideit6578 · Sep 17, 2017

Of course the paneling was coming down

Then skim coated and painted the walls and ceiling and put up the moulding. Ripped up the lanoliam floor, framed the room and ran the electric for the room to be on its own circuit.

rideit6578 · Sep 17, 2017

Foot for reference.

rideit6578 · Sep 17, 2017

Then we added the walls and tile on the floor, finished the electric, put the door up and finished painting.

rideit6578 · Sep 17, 2017

Which pretty much leads us to here. My progress has slowed down because I have the summers off and got a lot of work done then but have now gone back to work. I will be looking to make or buy a sump and get the plumbing done soon. And of course add moulding and trim around the tank to finish the look.

As always, thanks for looking.

Labridaedicted · Sep 19, 2017

Sharp install! Are you going to do the sump under tank?

rideit6578 · Sep 19, 2017

Labridaedicted said:
Sharp install! Are you going to do the sump under tank?

Thank You! Yes trying to figure out the sump and overflow asap. Not sure of I should go with a 75gal and make some baffles or buy as acrylic sump.

rideit6578 · Sep 24, 2017

Let me know what you think of the scape before I puddy the rocks!!

jimmyzhou · Sep 24, 2017

Paint the tank background black too get the nice look before coralline. Left side that big rock hold. Maybe reduce too lower? With slightly 45 angles? That big rock right next to bottom rock. Will be like up hill looking with some anemone? What u think. Base for mushroom

rideit6578 · Sep 24, 2017

The back will black just leaving it open now so I can see in to work. I was playing around with trying to make the arch more natural but it's tough! Lol no mushrooms, all sps

jimmyzhou · Sep 24, 2017

It all sps. Let glue that bad boy! And rock and roll

lacrosseboss18 · Sep 24, 2017

Awesome build so far. Gotta come over and check it out one day!

rideit6578 · Sep 24, 2017

jimmyzhou said:
It all sps. Let glue that bad boy! And rock and roll

haha, thanks man. I'm really excited to get water in it. Sump and plumbing are next on my list!

lacrosseboss18 said:
Awesome build so far. Gotta come over and check it out one day!

Thanks! Anytime....I just hope there's water in it by then.

rideit6578 · Sep 28, 2017

I went with the Bashsea SS sump! Super excited with the quality out of the box of this sump and the help I got from the guys at premium aquatics.

Jim Harrison · Sep 28, 2017

I really like the way you built that out! I'm a fan of the scape as well.

rideit6578 · Sep 28, 2017

Jim Harrison said:
I really like the way you built that out! I'm a fan of the scape as well.

Thanks so much, the only thing I changed in the rocks was built up the back left a tiny but and left some spots open for some rock from my current tank.